-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cameron Russell aims to open up the media landscape to divergent voices a little bit at a time . In March , she helped launch Interrupt magazine , initially a webzine , so these other perspectives can join in the media conversation . Its first issue is devoted to body image .

Russell is familiar with how women are portrayed in the media . She has been a model for brands such as Victoria 's Secret , Calvin Klein , Ralph Lauren and Benetton and has appeared in the pages of Vogue , Harper 's Bazaar and W .

She is also known for her TEDx talk , `` Looks Are n't Everything , '' about those who win the genetic lottery and how society rewards the conventionally beautiful .

To celebrate Interrupt magazine 's launch , she 's inviting the public to an art lab called `` You Are a Genius '' on New York 's Lower East Side through Monday . It 's at 215 Bowery St.

CNN spoke recently with Russell about her new project .

CNN : How did the idea come about ?

Cameron Russell : I had been thinking about an online participatory magazine for a while . After the amazing response to my TEDx talk , my Brooklyn-based art lab decided it was time to make this a reality . At the Big Bad Lab , we build participatory art and media platforms for causes , communities and organizations we care about . I run the magazine with Hannah Assebe and Allison Bland as well as hundreds of collaborators who provide writing , photos , editing help and moral support .

CNN : Why Interrupt ?

Russell : Statistics show that diversity in the media is pretty dismal . Critical voices from women and people of color are missing from many important conversations . Ever watch a panel about immigration without any immigrants ? Abortion without any women ? Marriage rights without any LGBTQ people ? We knew it 's crazy to start another media platform , but we came across many authentic voices online and offline that we felt we can bring together and showcase . Sometimes you just need to interrupt !

CNN : What are highlights in the first issue ?

Russell : It 's all about body image . We found out that about 50 % of 8-year-old girls do n't like their bodies . But it 's not just girls . Many women said they could n't remember a time when they liked their bodies -- they could n't remember what that felt like .

We collaborated with Interrupt photographer Marie C. who interviewed girls under the age of 8 asking what they liked about their bodies . Their answers illuminated a perspective that was missing from mass-media conversations . These girls liked their bodies because they functioned well ! Instead of the usual negative views -- I 'm too fat or I do n't like my nose -- these girls appreciated the fact that they can draw with their hands and run fast with their legs . It 's refreshing . Their story was a huge success and got over 5,000 shares .

Then there 's Teagan Widmer , a transgender woman who wrote about trying to find the right bra . Her story is not exactly something the mainstream press would cover . But when we posted her advice to our Tumblr site it became one of the most popular stories .

The lesson here is that when we value a narrow range of experiences and perspectives , we do n't just have a media that lack diversity , we actually underestimate our audiences . There are n't just a few types of experiences that matter -- there are countless .

CNN : With so many publications going digital only , what made you decide to put out a magazine ?

Russell : Our first print issue is a mock tabloid . Starting this week , it is appearing for free in nail salons , newsstands , dentist offices and other not-so-hidden places around NYC . Improving access to media means not just focusing on early adopters . We are spending our resources on building a community of collaborators who can share unique and critical views .

CNN : What 's been the most interesting experience in launching Interrupt ?

Russell : Actually , I think working on the offline Genius Lab . We wanted to build a space where people felt comfortable and genius in their identity . We have two selfie walls because taking a selfie is an innate and obvious way that draws in a lot of young people . We have a `` You Are a Genius ' bar , where people can explore online resources for social services , civic engagement , health and well-being , and creative production .

Having a physical offline space where children , teenagers and random passers-by can come in and get involved is amazing . Check them out on our Tumblr feed . Many of these people spent over an hour here , took pictures , wrote pieces for the next issue and hung out . Sometimes , great collaboration is hard to nurture online so doing so offline is the way to go . We hope to run another one this fall . Stay tuned .

CNN : How do you get the word out ?

Russell : The first several hundred submissions came from people who found out about the project online , mostly through Twitter . Now that we 're deeper into the project , we 've cultivated many more collaborations . For example , -LRB- check out -RRB- a cool piece we did with teens at South End Technology Center in Boston . We 've found artists like Ernest English , who made a piece that is drawing the most attention in the Genius Lab .

CNN : What 's the biggest difference between your webzine and say Buzzfeed ?

Russell : There are a ton of new media startups heavily focused on getting huge traffic and high growth , but that 's not our central goal . We want to build something that disrupts the way we think media can be made .

Can Interrupt make an impact ?

Russell : Every time someone who is n't a `` media maker '' creates something that goes viral , every time someone whose perspective is left out of mainstream media proves to make an impact , every time a contributor collaborates with someone new to make better work , we improve the media landscape a little bit .

CNN : What did you want to be when you grow up ?

Russell : I always wanted to become president ! When I was a kid , I was obsessed with politics . The first long book I remember reading was -LRB- Richard -RRB- Neustadt 's `` Presidential Power '' in fourth grade . But as I learned more about our democracy , I realized that who participates , who votes and who gets elected is not as simple as it seems . That got me interested in how to bring people together and ignite alternative networks of power , and that 's why I started the Big Bad Lab .

CNN : Who are your heroes ?

Russell : I 'm inspired by the people I work with . At the Genius Lab , we have three incredible artists . Ernest English makes enormous participatory public art pieces . Adalky Capellan is a young woman who creates very large-scale work . When I saw her photos , I knew she was perfect to do our dream selfie wall background . And then there 's the graffiti artist and muralist known as miss163 . She is a joy to work with , and her piece is all about love , which is great for us since one of our upcoming issues is about LGBT .

CNN : If you can give one piece of advice to young women , what would it be ?

Russell : When boys at school told me I could n't play their game , my mom told me to ask : `` Why , do you need a penis to play ? ''

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Cameron Russell , a model known for her TEDx talk about beauty , helps launch magazine

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Initially a webzine , Interrupt magazine invites diverse voices to join the media

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Russell invites public to visit art lab called `` You Are a Genius '' to explore more

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Russell : Critical voices from women , people of color missing from important conversations